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(No Model.)

G. W. McKEE.

\ .HOBSESHOE. I

No. 247,843. Patented 001;. 4 1881. 1g!

Jar stub! U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE lV.-MGKEE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,843, dated October 4, 1881. Application filed April 26, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MCKEE, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Horseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

The particular object of this invention is to construct a horseshoe so as to permit the natural expansion of the heel which takes place when the hoof strikes the ground.

The invention consists in the combination, with a horseshoe having one or both of its heel portions jointed to the main portion, so as to yield or expand laterally, and having cavities or recesses in the upper surface of its heel portions, of elastic cushions inserted into said oavities or recesses, and an elastic cross-bar connecting said cushions, as hereinafter fully described.

In the accom pan yingd rawin gs, Figure 1 rep resents a plan of the under side of a shoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an edge view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a plan of the upper side thereof, and Fig.4 represents a section upon the dotted line 90 as, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Adesignates the shoe, having in it nail-holes a, which, as in other shoes, are not punched in the two heel portions A. One of the heel portions A is rigid, it being made in the same piece with the body of the shoe; but the other heel portion is pivoted to the main portion by a rivet, 1), extending through the shoe from top to bottom. The two portions, through which the rivetb passes, are scarfed together, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, and the heel portion may therefore move slightly in a lateral direction independently of the rest of the shoe, thus permitting the heel of the shoe to expand freely with theheel of the hoof.

Iffound desirable both heel portions A might be jointed, as herein explained.

In the upper surface of each heel portion A is a recess or cavity, 0, the form of which is shown in Fig. 3, and in said recesses or cavities are fitted cushions B, which are connected by a cross-bar, B, as clearly seen in Fig. 3.

The cushions and cross-bar may be made of a single piece of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material of such a thickness that when no pressureis applied to the cushions they will project slightly above the surface of the shoe, as seen in Fig. 4.

When the pressure of the horseshoofis upon the shoe and the cushions B are pressed down there should be room in the recesses or cavities O to permit the lateral expansion of the rubber; and in Fig. 3 the recesses or cavities are longer than the cushions, to allow for the lateral expansion. As the heel portion of the shoe is jointed, the elastic cross-bar B serves to bring it to its normal position, and in any case said cross-bar supports the frog of the foot and keeps it out of contact with the pavement or other hard surface.

The cushions B, inserted in the heel behind the nails, are much more advantageous than a packing of india rubber extending entirely round the shoe and through which the nails pass, because in the latter case the yielding of the rubber each time thehoof is set down tends to loosen the nails.

I am aware that it is old to make a horseshoe of two sections hinged together at the toe, both of said sections'being provided with nailholes for the insertion of nails, whereby they are both nailed directly to the hoof, and I do not therefore claim this as of my invention. The hinged heel portions of my shoe are not nailed to the hoof, and therefore may move freely in a lateral direction.

I am also aware that a shoe has been made in which the two heel portions are jointed to the main portion; but such shoe had a toe piece which lapped over the toe of the hoof, and its two heel portions were connected by a belt which passed around the rear of the hoof, the object being to secure the shoe without any nails at all.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with a horseshoe having one or both of its heel portions Ajointed to the main portion A, so as to yield or expand laterally, and having in the upper surface of said heel portions cavities or recesses c, of elastic cushions B, inserted in said cavities or recesses, and an elastic cross-bar, B, connecting said cushions, substantially as specified. 10o

GEORGE W. MoKEE. WVitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, J OHN S. EBERT. 

